A blog dedicated to coverage of rock news, reviews of CD's/DVD's, live gigs and interviews with musicians who have made rock music great!
Coverage of hard rock, classic rock, AOR and popular melodic rock music across the genre.
This blog is the creation of Alun Williams, a Brit now living in Michigan whose previous credits include writing for the following sites:
www.classicrock.about.com
www.classicrockrevisited.com
and www.rocknrolluniverse.com (Now gone)
I hope you enjoy your visit here!

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Monday, March 21, 2011

Rock News update for Monday 21st March, 2011

No telling how many hours a day I'll be working so with that in mind, no telling how many updates I'll be able to provide this week, but I'll do what I can!

Just been watching a repeat / re-run of 'That Metal Show' tonight that featured Uli Jon Roth and Kirk Hammett, as always, entertaining!

Now Maiden's 'Flight 666' documentary is also being repeated, which is actually very good ... It's on in the background folks.

Some good friends of ours went along to see Stryper on Saturday night at a Detroit venue, that I and many of my friends give a wide berth to, always ...! I mean, if you know the neighbourhood is rough, local stores / fast food places have bulletproof glass, bars in their front of store windows, doesn't that say enough ....?

So suffice to say, I did not pursue trying to attend to review the show, much as I'd liked to have seen Stryper. Maybe Mark will provide me a gig review ...? Mark, if you're reading this ... I'm open to including your review matey! :)

Anyway, enough frivolity ... On with the news!

Whitesnake Announce Their New Keyboard Player For The Forevermore World Tour 2011

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Brian Ruedy... Keyboards and vocals

Brian Ruedy was born July 24, 1961 in Orange County CA.

He has worked in a succession of bands thro' the years, including most recently Bret Michaels and Brian Head Welch of KORN ... Brian recently reconnected with guitarist Doug Aldrich which led to him becoming involved with Whitesnake.

"I am honored and privileged to be part of the Whitesnake Family. Its an incredible opportunity. I am excited to bring new sounds and flavors to Whitesnake. I look forward to expanding on the already great Whitesnake material."Brian Ruedy

Brian is already immersing himself in the catalogue of Snake songs in preparation for the bands upcoming rehearsals for the "Whitesnake Forevermore World Tour 2011"

Musical Influences:

Jon Lord of Deep Purple. "There is nothing like an overdriven Hammond B3 and his lead style is incredible. I've never heard anyone play like he did."

Rick Wakeman of Yes: "I love his ability to play multiple keyboards at once. He had amazing sounds and put on quite a show."

Keith Emerson of ELP: "He's the only guy I know that played the Hammond B3 backwards and stabbed it with knives. He was also one of the guys that introduced the mini moog synthesizer."

Whitesnake have been advised to keep all sharp cutlery away from Brian when he's performing.

This year’s crazy winter will continue well into the spring with a blizzard as intense as it gets.

On May 31, music fans will have their first taste of re-issues from rock icon OZZY OSBOURNE’s catalog of work with the releases of two albums which form the cornerstone of Ozzy Osbourne's career as a solo artist: Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman (Epic Records/Legacy Recordings). Long revered by rock fans around the world, these two albums created a template for hard rock in the 1980's and beyond as they were marked by the ground-breaking and historic union of Ozzy and the late guitar hero Randy Rhoads. These definitive versions of 1980's Blizzard of Ozz (with previously unreleased bonus tracks) and 1981's Diary of a Madman are available individually on vinyl or CD, or together in a deluxe collector's box. All versions were restored and remastered from the original analog sources by George Marino.

The 30th Anniversary Edition of Blizzard of Ozz CD includes the original album in its entirety, restored and remastered for this edition, with bonus tracks, while the new Legacy Edition of Diary of a Madman includes the original album in its entirety, restored and remastered for this edition, with a bonus second CD of previously unreleased live performances featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads with rhythm section Rudy Sarzo (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums). A single disc version of the remastered Diary of a Madman will also be available.

For serious fans and collectors, the limited edition 30th Anniversary deluxe boxed set houses the restored and remastered vinyl and CD editions of Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, the "Ozzy Live" compact disc. Beyond the music, the box set is highlighted by a variety of exclusives including an expansive 100-page coffee table book, a two-sided wall-size poster, a precise and detailed full-size replica of Ozzy's iconic gold cross that he has worn for 30 years, and “Thirty Years After The Blizzard” DVD.

This new “Thirty Years After The Blizzard” DVD chronicles Ozzy's years with Randy Rhoads features previously unseen footage of Ozzy and Randy filmed in 1981 & 1982; it incorporates rare archival photos and films; along with new and revelatory interviews with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Lemmy (Motörhead), Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx, Rob Halford, Zakk Wylde, Bill Ward and more. The DVD also contains over 70 minutes of additional rare live performances and interviews; included is the premiere of more than 30 minutes of newly-discovered never-bootlegged footage of Ozzy and Randy from the Blizzard of Ozz tour shot from the front of the stage at New York's fabled Palladium on May 2, 1981. This new feature is a must-see for aficionados of Ozzy's epic release, Blizzard of Ozz and its pivotal effect on rock & roll history.

* * * * *

Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman are landmark albums that took metal in a new direction in the early 1980's, inspiring whole new generations of rock bands and fans. "Crazy Train," the first single from Blizzard of Ozz, has become one of Ozzy's musical signatures, a perennial on the rock playlists and as part of Ozzy’s live performances.

* * * * *

Blizzard Of Ozz (30th Anniversary Expanded Edition)

1. I Don’t Know (5:13)

2. Crazy Train (4:51)

3. Goodbye To Romance (5:33)

4. Dee (0:49)

5. Suicide Solution (4:17)

6. Mr. Crowley (5:02)

7. No Bone Movies (3:52)

8. Revelation (Mother Earth) (6:08)

9. Steal Away (The Night) (3:28)

BONUS TRACKS

10. You Looking At Me, Looking At You (Non-LP B-Side, Previously Unreleased in the U.S.) (4:15)

DVD--contains "Thirty Years After The Blizzard" documentary--and additional rare and unreleased performances and interviews.

* * * * *

With combined worldwide sales of more than 10 million copies, Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman have been awarded gold, platinum and multi-platinum certifications in a variety of countries including Canada, Korea, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States, where Blizzard of Ozz has been certified RIAA 4x platinum and Diary of a Madman is RIAA triple platinum.

One of the most iconic figures in pop culture, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy winner Ozzy Osbourne has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, approximately 50 million with his seminal metal band Black Sabbath and the rest as a solo artist.

New York Dolls premiere new video for single 'Fool For You Baby'

To coincide with this week’s release of the New York Dolls’ critically acclaimed fifth studio album 'Dancing Backward in High Heels', the band has released a promo video for their new single 'Fool For You Baby'. The video, directed by Jeremy Johnstone (Mono, Young Widows), features original Dolls founding members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain.

The video for 'Fool For You Baby' showcases the Dolls in a circus tent. Guitarist Syl Sylvain is the circus ring leader, and as the camera moves through the circus ring, more characters are revealed including a fire breather, a strongman, and a sword swallower. Singer David Johansen appears in the background and gradually dances forwards in slow motion as he sings the lyrics.

It’s a poignant, cinematic homage to rock and roll, and the Dolls' first official promo music video since 'Dance Like A Monkey', which is taken from the 2006 album 'One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This'. Watch the 'Fool For You Baby' video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2NFpwlHx68 or view it on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/20810274

Yes, The Darkness, the band you - Seriously!!! - either love or loathe, have returned after frontman Justin Hawkins is back on the straight and narrow, so to speak, after a spell in rehab ... Enough on that though.

The band are already scheduled to make a big come back on this years Download festival line up at the UK's Donington Park.

I must say, the festival line - As in recent years also ... - is looking more and more impressive each week!

Anyway, here's the posting from The Darkness' website, with further details ..., albeit limited!

As promised… following a 5 year hiatus, The Darkness will make their return to the world stage on Friday 10th June 2011 at Donington Park where the band will keep the main stage warm for Def Leppard at this year’s Download Festival.

Prior to this event, The Darkness will be locked in an East Anglian studio working on tracks that will in time become the band’s third album.